[Archived] Gary Bowyer Discussion

[martonrover]

Bowyer's post match interview on Radio Lancs was infuriating.

To all intents and purposes it was an advert for Gestede and it sickens me to constantly hear our manager banging on about player values.

We all know it's the law of the jungle and that even without FFP we'd be pecked, but for God's sake concentrate on getting the best you possibly can out of the players who are at the club and build a team.

He then had the gall to use FFP as an excuse for not strengthening the defence.

Why then, Gary, did you sign a winger on loan who hardly gets a kick?!

I see no vision looking ahead and at best we will be mid table again next season if we're lucky.

If he really was laying foundations for the future or if we'd made a genuine promotion attempt that would be fine, but neither is the case.

Instead we just bumble along hiding behind convenient excuses,

[Gav]

Freedman's been in charge of Forest for TWO MONTHS, of course it's early days for him.

Bowyer's had TWO YEARS. The only thing we're building here is more debt.

Freedmans also taken Bolton to the brink of relegation in that time, so the grass isn't always greener.

[Amo]

Freedmans also taken Bolton to the brink of relegation in that time, so the grass isn't always greener.

Missing the point as usual, GAV.

This has nothing to do with advocating Freedman as manager. It's about putting his interview into context.

[Riverside67]

Whatever the merits of Freedman he looked yesterday like he had progressed a lot further and a lot quicker than Bowyer.

Forward mobility and midfiled looks a real positive for them

There only weakness was central defence other than that they domianted possession and had twice the attempts on goal.

After 2 years I still cannot name our starting eleven.............I don't think Bowyer can either.

[ABBEY]

He doesn't even have #1 keeper

[chaddyrovers]

Whatever the merits of Freedman he looked yesterday like he had progressed a lot further and a lot quicker than Bowyer.

Forward mobility and midfiled looks a real positive for them

There only weakness was central defence other than that they domianted possession and had twice the attempts on goal.

After 2 years I still cannot name our starting eleven.............I don't think Bowyer can either.

surely the starting 11 is down to form, injuries and formation.

He doesn't even have #1 keeper

IMO, Steele is 1st choice. Eastwood's performances in the cup games have been good, so he deserves a run of games in the league.

Freedmans also taken Bolton to the brink of relegation in that time, so the grass isn't always greener.

exactly Gav.

[mustard]

surely the starting 11 is down to form, injuries and formation.

Chaddy, can you tell me you HONESTLY think this is how Bowyer picks the team?

After seeing Hanley and others persevered with after dreadful form. After seeing Eastwood, Duffy and Rhodes all dropped after great performances at different points in the year. Gestede, our best striker by the accounts of some on here, picked for half the games whilst Brown gets game-time. I think form has absolutely nothing to do with it.

As for formation, paa! The tinkerman should look for a settled one of those and then maybe we'd see settled results. The key to success is keeping a largely stable team and have them perform to a certain tactics/style. Bowyer doesn't do that, hence the inconsistency. As for injuries, I don't know what goes on down at Brockhall, but there's a reason we pick up so many niggling injuries. Just like there's a reason the players look bulkier but sloooooowwwwwer than ever. Backroom staff needs a complete upheaval (Bowyer included).

[thenodrog]

I think we will find it harder next season though.

Obviously. The transfer embargo means that we wont be able to improve the squad as necessary, only as allowed within the rules. Also it means that any self respecting agent will be looking to get his player(s) the hell out of Ewood asap..... Oh apart from Robbo's, Dunny's and Best's. Next year will be another relegation fight imo.

[chaddyrovers]

Chaddy, can you tell me you HONESTLY think this is how Bowyer picks the team?

After seeing Hanley and others persevered with after dreadful form. After seeing Eastwood, Duffy and Rhodes all dropped after great performances at different points in the year. Gestede, our best striker by the accounts of some on here, picked for half the games whilst Brown gets game-time. I think form has absolutely nothing to do with it.

As for formation, paa! The tinkerman should look for a settled one of those and then maybe we'd see settled results. The key to success is keeping a largely stable team and have them perform to a certain tactics/style. Bowyer doesn't do that, hence the inconsistency. As for injuries, I don't know what goes on down at Brockhall, but there's a reason we pick up so many niggling injuries. Just like there's a reason the players look bulkier but sloooooowwwwwer than ever. Backroom staff needs a complete upheaval (Bowyer included).

Mustard, can you tell me this isn't the way Bowyer picks the team? it is you that doesn't want to believe that's not the way he does it.

Hanley I will agree on. but the rest I don't. Steele was bought in to be the number 1 keeper when we signed him.

for me, Gestede is our best striker. I am basing that on his ability to hold the ball up, link up, work rate and scoring goals. Gestede has started 28 games with 8 sub appearances scoring 17 goals. (these are league games) my stats are from here http://www.whoscored.com/Players/33403

I would agree that Rovers and Bowyer need to choose one formation to play in most games. if we have pace striker with a target man type then play 4-4-2 but if not then play 4-2-3-1 formation and won the midfield battle

[Stuart]

Obviously. The transfer embargo means that we wont be able to improve the squad as necessary, only as allowed within the rules. Also it means that any self respecting agent will be looking to get his player(s) the hell out of Ewood asap..... Oh apart from Robbo's, Dunny's and Best's. Next year will be another relegation fight imo.

I think the league will be stronger next season because of three very rich clubs dropping down. The parachute payments will see them well clear of FFP and we will start to see a bigger divide than this year.

As it stands a chasm has opened up between 8th and 9th. That gap will widen and start lower. Pretty soon we will see a two-tier PL by stealth as the pack is shuffled in favour of City and London clubs. Over the next 10 years the North - South divide is going to be played out in football more than ever before. Currently we have a large fanbase compared to others and could defeat the odds - still thanks to the Jack Walker legacy - but that legacy won't last forever. Time is not in our side, and despite being able to drive a bus through FFP (with the right accounting) our owners and their current board set-up hide behind it to sweep under the carpet four years of misrule.

The club is heading downwards and all the fans are doing is arguing with each other about what the cause of the problem is. Bowyer, Rhodes, inept board, stay-away fans, under-valued season tickets, local economy, local demographic, FFP, transfer embargoes, parachute payments ending, Kean, the list goes on.

The real answer begins with "V". It is within Venkys power to deal with all this but they do not act. They could give Shaw a mandate to go out and find us one of these managers who is making other clubs compete for promotion on a shoestring. They have no obvious motives for still being at the club, no clear plan for the future - apart from that they want us to be successful (don't we all) yet do nothing. Some say they are footing our losses but every time I read an article our debt has increased again. The only thing they seem to have is a good line of credit. How long for, who knows.

Bowyer is a symptom and the longer he is here the further we are from being normal again, let alone stable. Managers should rise and fall based on results. If there are mitigating circumstances then they should be judged on performances, on consistency, on progress. Well, the last one of those is now slipping. Something has to change. It's not going to be an easier league, it's not going go to be FFP or the embargo, it's not going to be our recent history being rewritten. It needs a change of manager (and possibly board) OR a change in ownership or the devolution of decision making power to football people at Ewood.

[DE.]

Obviously. The transfer embargo means that we wont be able to improve the squad as necessary, only as allowed within the rules. Also it means that any self respecting agent will be looking to get his player(s) the hell out of Ewood asap..... Oh apart from Robbo's, Dunny's and Best's. Next year will be another relegation fight imo.

Seems obvious that we'll be serious trouble next season. Last summer Bowyer was allowed to retain his best players and add to the squad as he saw fit. This summer he faces seeing our best players leave and his hands much more tightly tied on who he can buy.

A good manager could still make it work, but Bowyer won't be able to handle those problems. Next season is most likely going to make this season look like a dream in comparison.

[mustard]

Mustard, can you tell me this isn't the way Bowyer picks the team? it is you that doesn't want to believe that's not the way he does it.

Hanley I will agree on. but the rest I don't. Steele was bought in to be the number 1 keeper when we signed him.

for me, Gestede is our best striker. I am basing that on his ability to hold the ball up, link up, work rate and scoring goals. Gestede has started 28 games with 8 sub appearances scoring 17 goals. (these are league games) my stats are from here http://www.whoscored.com/Players/33403

I would agree that Rovers and Bowyer need to choose one formation to play in most games. if we have pace striker with a target man type then play 4-4-2 but if not then play 4-2-3-1 formation and won the midfield battle

I would say that form plays no part in how Bowyer picks the team as he chops and changes the better performers and sticks with the dross. I'm baffled you actually thinks he picks the team based on form/merit after seeing the way he tinkers with everything. Fair enough, it's your opinion but I'd say it's wide of the mark.

I think the last two years has shown Bowyer will never learn from his mistakes and tbh Chaddy, I think any hope you have for him fixing any of these problems next year is a fool's hope.

Ps separate point; are you (and anyone else) not surprised that Bowyer used his last loan signing on Taylor, a winger/forward who is completely not required, despite us needing defensive cover? And even more surprised he then used FFP as an excuse for not signing a defender, when it was he who wasted the free slot?

[ABBEY]

surely the starting 11 is down to form, injuries and formation.

IMO, Steele is 1st choice. Eastwood's performances in the cup games have been good, so he deserves a run of games in the league.

exactly Gav.

So Steele is numbe 1but you want him dropping because eastweasty had a good game ? If he's number he starts !

[Blue blood]

Mustard, can you tell me this isn't the way Bowyer picks the team? it is you that doesn't want to believe that's not the way he does it.

Hanley I will agree on. but the rest I don't. Steele was bought in to be the number 1 keeper when we signed him.

for me, Gestede is our best striker. I am basing that on his ability to hold the ball up, link up, work rate and scoring goals. Gestede has started 28 games with 8 sub appearances scoring 17 goals. (these are league games) my stats are from here http://www.whoscored.com/Players/33403

I would agree that Rovers and Bowyer need to choose one formation to play in most games. if we have pace striker with a target man type then play 4-4-2 but if not then play 4-2-3-1 formation and won the midfield battle

Chaddy where is your evidence for this? If you look at every line up there's some inexplicable changes each time.

Let's just take the Blackpool game as one example - Olsson out for Spurr when he wasn't injured. Can't be a form thing as Olsson's consistently been our best player. Now that's just one example, and I can't be bothered to look for others, but they're there/ Just take the changes from week to week and tell me each one is down to form. Heck just off the top of my head Taylor does well for 2 games then is dropped. Do you honestly believe each of our many changes is down to form? The fact Hanley is a mitigating example already suggests you know it isn't true.

Also 2 years and no clue as set formation(s) - that again suggests the guy doesn't know what he is doing. No plan A or B.

[chaddyrovers]

Ps separate point; are you (and anyone else) not surprised that Bowyer used his last loan signing on Taylor, a winger/forward who is completely not required, despite us needing defensive cover? And even more surprised he then used FFP as an excuse for not signing a defender, when it was he who wasted the free slot?

we did have Baptiste and Kilgallon fit and Hanley was very close to being fit but he had got injured.

I guess Taylor was bought in on loan with a view to signing him permanent in the summer. I would like to see Taylor play a couple of games before the season ends. he was good at Leeds when he came on. since then we not seen him.

So Steele is number 1 but you want him dropping because Eastwood had a good game ?

Eastwood had a number of good games this season, so he does deserve his chance.

I would play Steele until the end of the season now.

[ABBEY]

Why ? Just shatters eastweasty confidence ... Ignore me chaddy . I comment on your post and the flies are out saying its bullying .

[chaddyrovers]

Why ? Just shatters eastwood confidence ... Ignore me chaddy . I comment on your post and the flies are out saying its bullying .

what Bullying?

you ask me a question and I answered Abbey.

Abbey, We might disagree on certain debates/topics but we have mutual respect for each other and we are both very passionate Rovers fans

[ABBEY]

cheers chaddy..i thought so but a few see it as bullying .Not meant to be,

[Mike E]

what Bullying?

you ask me a question and I answered Abbey.

Abbey, We might disagree on certain debates/topics but we have mutant respect for each other and we are both very passionate Rovers fans

[broadsword]

If every player were fit and available, what would the first choice 11 be then?

[chaddyrovers]

If every player were fit and available, what would the first choice 11 be then?

that's a question for Bowyer.

Unless you want me to name my starting 11

[Athlete]

I think the league will be stronger next season because of three very rich clubs dropping down. The parachute payments will see them well clear of FFP and we will start to see a bigger divide than this year.

As it stands a chasm has opened up between 8th and 9th. That gap will widen and start lower. Pretty soon we will see a two-tier PL by stealth as the pack is shuffled in favour of City and London clubs. Over the next 10 years the North - South divide is going to be played out in football more than ever before. Currently we have a large fanbase compared to others and could defeat the odds - still thanks to the Jack Walker legacy - but that legacy won't last forever. Time is not in our side, and despite being able to drive a bus through FFP (with the right accounting) our owners and their current board set-up hide behind it to sweep under the carpet four years of misrule.

The club is heading downwards and all the fans are doing is arguing with each other about what the cause of the problem is. Bowyer, Rhodes, inept board, stay-away fans, under-valued season tickets, local economy, local demographic, FFP, transfer embargoes, parachute payments ending, Kean, the list goes on.

The real answer begins with "V". It is within Venkys power to deal with all this but they do not act. They could give Shaw a mandate to go out and find us one of these managers who is making other clubs compete for promotion on a shoestring. They have no obvious motives for still being at the club, no clear plan for the future - apart from that they want us to be successful (don't we all) yet do nothing. Some say they are footing our losses but every time I read an article our debt has increased again. The only thing they seem to have is a good line of credit. How long for, who knows.

Bowyer is a symptom and the longer he is here the further we are from being normal again, let alone stable. Managers should rise and fall based on results. If there are mitigating circumstances then they should be judged on performances, on consistency, on progress. Well, the last one of those is now slipping. Something has to change. It's not going to be an easier league, it's not going go to be FFP or the embargo, it's not going to be our recent history being rewritten. It needs a change of manager (and possibly board) OR a change in ownership or the devolution of decision making power to football people at Ewood.

One of the best posts on here for awhile everything spot on

that's a question for Bowyer.

Unless you want me to name my starting 11

No... GB doesn't know his best starting 11.. IMHO coaches experiment with the line up that's why few coaches actually make good managers..

[Gav]

Missing the point as usual, GAV.

This has nothing to do with advocating Freedman as manager. It's about putting his interview into context.

I understood both points Topman.

[roverandout]

Chaddy which one of you is magneto and which one professor Xavier

[broadsword]

that's a question for Bowyer.

Unless you want me to name my starting 11

well no, I am asking what line up you would think bowyer considers his first choice eleven